A Merseyside pharmaceutical company has applied for a £5.9m government grant to help it establish a cancer treatment research centre and create 250 jobs. Redx Pharma based in Crown Street Liverpool has asked the government's Regional Growth Fund to help it finance a £39m "centre of excellence". It said the cash would help it conduct early stage research into new drugs. The project is backed by the city council, Royal Liverpool University Hospital and Cancer Research UK.